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Monday, January 28, 2013

Where did you Drifters get this new boy? You need to send him back
from wherever he came from.
These are the words coming from the wolves being beat by the lamb
on a payday on one of the many bus tours that the Drifters participated
during the earl 70s. During those years the tour bus shows were a
popular form of marketing the acts here in the US. On any given show
you might find five or six acts being billed. Life on the road during the
great bus tour particularly for me was quite an experience as I was
able to sit down and get close to some of the greatest entertainers
that for sure I Idolize in my early exposure to the business.
Groups like Little Anthony and The Imperials who for sure are one
of the most contemporary acts from out of the period still going Strong
today. The Shirelle's my dream girl group, Ruby and The Romantics,
The Platters and Coasters just to name a few who were at that time
the show in show business. Never mind I could kick there butts when
it came to gambling, which was my claim to fame coming off the
streets of New York. Over all the bus tours were great fun and
a good time for hanging with genuine friends when I was not taken
the pay checks during a playing card session or shooting dice.
"Mo" used to say.. Oh! that was Johnny Moors nick name in the group,
I will kick your ass dirty red (that's what called me) if you decide to play
some Gin Rummy. That he did! could never beat him at that game.
When it came to bowling he was the ultimate champ.
Rolling into a new town had all of it's normal trappings of autograph
seeking fans, hustlers and groupies alike. You even had those
who would follow the bus from town to town just so as to be able
to hangout with the entertainers. Singing, Drinking, joke telling
Those rolling bus tours was a great time for merriment.Next! The Vegas Years........

Friday, January 25, 2013

In the early 1970s as The Drifters struggled to maintain an identity
within it's declining popularity the management for the most part
saw the vision of regenerating the act and making the move to
Europe that would propel the brand back into the music charts.
In those early days the act was a steady fixture on what we called
then the Chitlin Circuit up and down the eastern seaboard of the
United States. Many of the venues that we played were small
juke box joints which maybe held 75 people or better.
There were also the times we would come into a town an find
out the stage we were working was nothing more than the back
of a flat bed truck and the dressing rooms were out back
somewhere in a field. How I remember sharing those grassy
Knolls with cows and chickens etc.
Back then the mode of transportation for getting around was
a black Fleetwood Limousine. During that time we were the only
ones using that type of vehicle as a road car. It over time became
somewhat of a symbol of The Drifters. The act was known an
recognized when it came to that car which we traveled all over
the United States. Throughout the southeastern area of the
United States The Drifters have always maintained a strong
fan base. At times this proved to be the saving grace in many
parts of the south as for the most part you still had areas which
were still very racially charged. In some towns you passed
through you still found restaurants with designated areas where
black and white people sat to eat. Being stopped on the road
late in the evening by the police could be somewhat harrowing
as the stigma of five black men in a big car seemed to always
invite negative inquiry. Though once they found out who you
were the demeanor would change. There were even times
when we were asked to sing a song for the local boys which
turned the whole encounter into a jovial setting.
On the road as always vigilance was the key to keeping one
self from falling into trouble. There were those who thought
that entertainers were suckers and would attempt to hustle
you with one of the many scams that were out there at that
time.
Coming next!" The Bus Tours"
Butch Leake (CORNER TALK REPORT)
For more info log into The Drifters Legends Clubhousehttps://The www.facebook.com/groups/thedrifterslegendsclubhouse/

Monday, January 14, 2013

What ever happened to The Truth In Music Legislation on having one
original member in an act to make it legit.

It seems the lines are quite blurred on this issue.The truth is this bill isn't
worth the paper it's written on.....

The interesting thing is non of the above people who make up the above
acts advertised ever recorded on any of the original songs that made
these acts famous. Yet the word original is used very blatantly here.The Bill States:

The truth in Music Bill was created to protect the artist from Identity theftand to protect the consumer from being mis-lead to believe they are seeingthe legendary artist that made the hit songs famous - when in fact they arenot.The truth in Music Law is designed to stop unscrupulous concert promotersfrom deceiving the public with "Imposter groups" which have no connection,legal or otherwise, to the authentic groups. Fundamentally, this is a consumerprotection bill, as the public pays hard earned money to see a show and hasno idea what it's even getting. The bill makes it mandatory for a liveperformance to include at least one recording member of the group who stillhas the right to use the group name. Otherwise, the act must be billed as a"Tribute" or a "Salute" so that the public knows what it's paying for.
The reality is as long as there is money to be made these acts will exist in
the market place long after the original members are dead and gone.

Promoters, Agents etc. will continue exploit these so called legislation's
as long as there are loopholes which allows them to circumvent them.

The Bill is also quite contradictory in that on one end it says that a group
has to prove that it owns or has a right to use a name but in the same
breath states the group must have at least one original members who
was on the songs it recorded.

This raises the question mark about owners of names who market the
acts with no original members who have yet to establish credibility
through successful music recordings.

All of this to say the least is confusing when you have former members
of bands etc who claim there legitimate right in a Trade or service mark
being that they are in reality original recording members.

Friday, January 11, 2013

In any given day across the country or for a fact across the world
you will find a Drifters group performing somewhere weather it's
a town , city, cabaret club, theater. college etc.

The legendary group over the years for the most part has turned into
a cottage industry with many claiming some sort of ties or affiliation.

It has been the source for many a lively hood and a means to gain
some sort of recognition in a business which would have never paid
any attention to them in the general since of the word.

This proliferation of Drifter acts has been somewhat mind boggling
to say the least for those who never had a chance to see the original
acts at work or has it?

The songs in most cases has been the staying power or glue that seems
to keep the magic of this legendary organization alive and it could at
some juncture in the future, that all you might see is virtual Drifter acts
performing which one can pull up at the push of a button on there
computers.

Recently one former member of the Drifters who sang with the group
in the latter 60s found out for years his name was being used to head
a Drifters group in Australia. Know one there new the difference.

Today there are a whole new generation of fans who listen to the songs
and care the least who originally performed them, much like kids in
early generations claimed the dances and clothing styles not knowing
there was nothing new under the sun but repackaged ideas.

Back on the trail of this illusive group one asked the question am I
getting the real article or some phony wannabe act. Yet there are
some good tribute acts out there and many of these outfits fill the
the very illusion that we are talking about.

One thing for sure after all the real Legends of the Drifters are
gone and know longer with us agents, promoters and managers the like
will be selling some sort of Drifters act to the public fueling
the mystique surrounding this profitable industry.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Well for those of you who were wolf Johnson fans!
This was his send off in part in Dallas Texas 2012.

The hold of this very strange funeral down in Dallas Texas
was televised on TLC last night here in NY.

Wolf was know to have did a commercial for Baby Back Ribs,
and keeping with that theme his funeral was staged with his
body in a Bar BQ Pit which can be seen carried by the Pallbearers.

To make it more strange pigs were allow to run around inside
where the services were being held.

It was noted in the special that he formally sang with the Drifters
but let me straighten that for you folks that this is a bit of
misinformation. Mr. Johnson never sang with any of the officially
sanctioned Drifters.

But was know to perform with a number of the unsanctioned
groups that were in the market place.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

The Drifters Legends Clubhouse is currently and open group.
You may post relative info, thoughts, questions, Ideas, Pictures
and discussions etc. relating to The Drifters and Drifters Legends.

Please be kind but be frank in your inquires. Feel free to
to recommend people who you think may be interested in
participating in the group. They will have to be approved but for
the most part we will not bar anyone.

This is an historical group site dedicated to the body of work
that has been left and the men who came through the ranks of
the brand during different periods of it's tumultuous history.

Trademark, Trade names, company names, photography's
or product names mentioned herein are used for identification
only and may be the property of their respective owners.
All Rights Reserved......

Throughout the years their have been other groups which have
been formed to honor and discuss the history of this unique
organization but for the most part seem very bland and
and quite misinformed on all the facts related. You also
found much segregation within it's structure as most attention
was paid to only a chosen group of their liking and not to
the reality that The Drifters was more than just the Group
that came about in the early 50s 60s or 70s.

Much of what we discuss is all a matter of historical and
legal record which with a little effort one may ascertain
answer's to. Yes their are issue and matters here which only
can be known by insiders in the given periods but feel free to
ask and we will do our best to answer them for you. We have
access to number very astute historians and legal professionals
who are current members of this site and make up some of the
fan base their in.
There is also a research staff headed by myself......

Friday, January 4, 2013

It's know wonder after 60 years of musical success with numerous
singles and albums sold around the world. The Drifters as a hold is
still a house divided with members still fighting for a title which is
illusive as it was when it was first conceived.

The illusion that it was Treadwell who should get all the accolade
for The Drifters when in reality it was Ahmet Ertegan who first
gave Clyde McPhatter the impetus to form a group which later
became know as The Drifters. So the truth of the matter it was
the Atlantic Record executives who for the most part were the
spark for the original success of the group.

It was Clyde's bad judgement when he sold the name to Treadwell
which he later regretted that doomed his fellow group members and
all those who came along over the years to being just salaried
employees of Drifters Inc.

Treadwell being a shrude businessman took advantage of a good
thing and exploited it to maximum. So as always the poor get
poorer and the rich get richer. The practice of of different pay
scales added much to the division between it's members. This
kept alliances from forming among the members.

As Rolling Stone magazine puts it The Drifters were just a bunchof low paid singers.

Most have died poor and those that continue on today fight
over a trademark which they will never truly own. They still
continue to work for little of nothing in this business of music
for ever being exploited by those who in there self interest
use The Drifter service mark for there own dubious
exploitation of starving artist.

Can there ever be peace in the house that Treadwell built is
as illusive today as it was yesteryear. There has been a
re-branding of the name abroad by the current management
of The Drifters (PMG) Prism Music Group UK who holds
the worldwide licensing rights to The Drifters but for all the
good work they have done still hasn't changed matters on
the ground floor with the former members and the countless
fans who will never except any thing new in the way of current
Drifter lineup who have yet to come of age to fill the shoes of
those great Icons of the past.

Maybe rightfully so as wounded hearts never forget the
skulduggery of years gone by.